At Greenhouse we hold an unwavering image of the child as competent, capable, and filled with ideas. Children are born into this world ready and motivated to learn and seek connections with others. Their curiosity and imagination are the twin fuels that ignite a thinking, creative mind. And play is the vehicle through which the thoughts found deep within their lively minds manifest themselves in the world. We try to enter into that world by acknowledging the power of their ideas, joining their play, and providing the materials they need to clarify and answer their questions. By encouraging children to explore their own interests and represent their understandings using rich materials, we are inviting them to enter into an active relationship with their surroundings and build their own knowledge.

Children who have had the experience of seeing their ideas take form in group projects and who have developed skills in symbolic representation and communication see themselves as active, competent learners with worthwhile ideas and interests. They have learned to focus, to delay gratification, and to seek the help of others in the pursuit of their passions and self-generated goals.   These children will approach the academic demands of their future school lives with the self-confidence and eagerness they acquired through many satisfying and successful learning experiences in the early years. They will also bring to each new learning situation the dispositions of an active thinker and a contributing group member.